A case study from the Salt River Forensic Pathology Services Laboratory, Cape Town, South Africa.

Introduction
Bronchiolitis is a respiratory tract infection of the bronchioles, the tiny terminal branches of the airways in the lungs. It is usually caused by a viral infection and mostly affects infants and young children because of their small airways. Although it is generally a mild disease, it can develop into [...]... Continue Reading

A patient with multiple gunshot wounds presents many challenges for the attending physician. Though resuscitation and definitive management must happen rapidly, the traditional imaging methods required to inform treatment are often slow, cumbersome and located outside of resuscitation areas. The advantage of the Lodox machine is that it facilitates a fast, low-dose, [...]... Continue Reading

A case study from the Accident & Emergency Unit of the Charlotte Maxeke Johannesburg Academic Hospital, South Africa.

Introduction
Suspected injury to peripheral vasculature is not an uncommon occurrence in the Emergency Room (ER), and could result from fracture, dislocation or other trauma to the limbs. Either soft signs (history of bleeding, injury in proximity to major vascular structure, small non-expanding haematoma or diminished pulse) or hard [...]... Continue Reading

A case study from the Salt River Mortuary, Cape Town, South Africa; one of the world’s busiest mortuaries.

Introduction

Tuberculosis (TB) is a common infectious disease, usually caused by Mycobacterium tuberculosis. The disease usually attacks the lungs, but may also affect other organs or areas of the body. It is spread through the air by sputum particles, particularly when the patient coughs or sneezes. Left untreated, the [...]... Continue Reading

A case study from the Red Cross Children’s Hospital, Cape Town, South Africa1

Introduction

Trauma is the leading cause of morbidity, mortality and disability in childhood. Diagnostic errors in trauma departments are primarily attributable to inadequate radiographic practice, with missed fractures comprising the largest proportion of such errors2. Inadequate assessment may contribute up to 30% of early deaths in children with polytrauma3. The ability to [...]... Continue Reading

A case study from the Trauma and Emergency Unit of the Inselspital, Bern, Switzerland; one of Switzerland’s largest trauma units.

Introduction

Patients are frequently admitted to emergency departments after foreign body ingestion and it is estimated that over 1500 people die each year in the USA alone following these incidents1. Accurate diagnosis and treatment are therefore crucial in avoiding severe complications in the oesophagus or gastrointestinal organs2. [...]... Continue Reading

A case study from the Trauma and Emergency Unit of Groote Schuur Hospital, the largest hospital in the Western Cape Province of South Africa.

Introduction

Violent crime, particularly that involving guns, is a problem for countries around the world. In the United States of America, based on emergency department visits, there were 52,447 [...]... Continue Reading

An air embolism is gas or air entrainment in the circulatory system, either in an artery(arterial embolism) or in a vein (venous embolism). This can occur when there is a breach in the cardiovascular system.